Engaged!

Last Thursday, Pat texted me and said he had randomly gotten both weekend days off and that we should get out of town. So we found a great deal on a log cabin outside of Hot Springs and drove up after work on Friday.

The first two pictures above are of the view off of the porch of the cabin, named Hound Heavan Cabin (no we haven't gotten a dog yet, but if we did, he/she could stay there).

Friday evening we had a lovely steak dinner. There was a gas grill on the porch and we watched the moon from the hot tub. The cabin was small, but perfect for two people and it smelled like the cabin that Mom & Dad used to live in.

Pat looks happy doesn't he? okay, maybe taking pictures while there is grilled meat in front of him isn't really fair.

Saturday morning, Pat made the best french toast-ever, we watched the snow out the window and then we drove over to Max Patch....for a little fresh air.

Along the way we stopped to look at a waterfall, but it was frozen and not quite as amazing as the guest book had implied (perhaps because of the time of year). I say this because it retrospect, perhaps "we" had the waterfall as a possible locale for proposal and it didn't measure up, but of course I didn't know that at the time.

We got a blessing along the way from a very well endowed bull.

Then we arrived at Max Patch. It was a gorgeous winter day. Lots of people were skiing and sledding. Although when we got all the way to the top (hiking through a foot of snow was a nice work out), there was just the two of us.





I captured the views.......

hmm... he looks like pacing....does he have something on his mind?

what, me taking goofy self-portraits? something new and different










and then....right after this picture, Pat said, "It's time."

"For what?" I said worried about alien invasions and other sundry imaginings.

"To ask you to marry me."

OH!

Then he pulled out a ring, got down on his knee and asked me to marry him. And I said yes! It was magical, not magical like a fairy tale where pink and green lights surround us and carry us up into the sky. Magical, like it was really real and it was just the two of us on top of the world and the only thing I could see was him.

Then we had dinner in Hot Springs and another fun night in our cabin. Oh, and this was a road on the way!

Rocks in front of the cabin.

A picture for my mother of other rocks. Hi Mom! wheeeeeee!

Proportions

I made dinner last week. I finally got the serving dishes right:

Starch Man & Leaf Girl were happy!

House Updates

We refinanced the house and were able to get some money out of it to do a few things to the house. First up was repair the fireplace so it would work properly and not burn the house down. I was leaning toward gas logs, but Pat wanted a real fireplace and I admit, it is wonderful to sit in front of. It's beautiful, warm and mostly has created a great conversation space for the two of us.



Next up we replaced the furnace. The original goal was air conditioning, which is still to come once it warms up, but the tax break on more efficient furnances plus the age of our old furnace made it make sense to get this installed during 2010.




Both of the above were done just in time....

Holidays

Pat and I went to Johnson City to Marge and Lee's home for the holidays. My parents came down and Jess & Marc and their girls, Grace & Zoe came too there.

We put out stockings for everyone. Marge & Lee just finished their basement, so there was room for everybody and even a big screen tv and playstation. It was very cozy...but I also got a new pair of very soft socks and very soft sweatpants, so I could be biased.





















There were only two kids there, but somehow Santa still brought quite a full sack full.














Opening the stockings...so much fun!







Brand new beds and blankets for the babydolls were handmade made by my Mom.










The glow of so many presents. Followed quickly by the sugar crash meltdown of all the being presents be opened. Followed by the slow, quiet playing with some of the favorite presents.










Matching nightgowns for Grace and her doll, Chrissa. Grace didn't take off her nightgown for two days, so I think she liked it.













Before.....

After

Way after......

We ended up staying an extra day because there was so much snow and ice. Then Mom & Dad came home with us and we exchanged a few more presents....old-school milkshake maker!